Why is Scheduled Ionization in Analyst® TF Software 1.8 Not Working with the OptiFlow® Turbo V Ion Source for Nano Flow?

For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Answer

Scheduled ionization in Analyst® TF software 1.8 is not configured to work optimally with the OptiFlow® Turbo V ion source for nano fow rates. When using the OptiFlow® Turbo V ion source, scheduled ionization is always on when acquiring except when the start time in Analyst software is set to zero.

Scheduled ionization provides an additional level of safety for OptiFlow ion source users who are running methods with a micro or analytical flow rate. The ionspray voltage (ISV) is set to stay at zero at the end of a run, so when users open the column heater door between runs on the LC system, the ionspray voltage (ISV) is already off, preventing electric shock to the user. Therefore, post-run and pre-run ISV values are always set to zero in Analyst software and cannot be changed because this setting is hard-coded in the software for the OptiFlow source.

Having the ion spray voltage set to zero during pre- and post-run times is an issue for the nano spray because users will be unable to have the voltage stay on between runs. Stopping the spray between runs can cause the emitter or tip to clog, which is not desired for nano flow usage. The software development team is working on a software solution for this issue. There is no workaround at this time.